Most people do not think twice about popping a
couple of Tylenol (acetaminophen) here and there if
they have a headache or some other ache or pain. In
fact, up to 100 million Americans take acetaminophen
every year.
But you should know that
acetaminophen use is actually the leading cause of
acute liver failure in the United States.
Many people skim when they read so let me repeat
this is amazing fact.
The NUMBER ONE cause of acute liver failure
in the United States is from taking Tylenol type
products.
Now an FDA advisory panel is finally recommending
that cough and cold drugs that contain the pain
reliever acetaminophen be banned altogether because
of these serious risks of liver damage. The panel
also recommended taking the popular prescription
painkillers Vicodin and Percocet (which both contain
acetaminophen) off the market because of similar
risks of liver damage.
This is no small issue considering acetaminophen
is found in more than 200 over-the-counter cold and
flu remedies and other medications, making it the
most widely used painkiller in the United States.
The drug companies, including Johnson & Johnson,
Procter & Gamble and other manufacturers, stand to
lose a lot of profits if the ban does go through;
acetaminophen-containing products brought in
$2.6 billion in 2008.
So of course the drug makers are completely
against the ban and say the acetaminophen-containing
products should stay on the market despite
regulators’ concerns.
Serious
Health Risks Can Occur Even at Recommended Doses
It’s widely known that overdosing on
acetaminophen can cause liver damage, and the
current concerns are stemming largely from the rise
of OTC products that combine acetaminophen with
other drugs. The FDA officials believe this may lead
consumers to unknowingly take multiple products that
contain acetaminophen and result in overdoses.
While this is certainly a valid concern, even
more striking is the
Journal of the
American Medical Association
study that found
Tylenol can harm your liver even at regular,
recommended doses.
The study involved 106 participants, some of whom
took four grams of Tylenol (or eight extra-strength
Tylenol tablets) every day for two weeks. Up to 40
percent of the people taking Tylenol had abnormal
test results that signaled liver damage.
A
separate study in the
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care
Medicine
also found that regular use of acetaminophen was
harmful. They linked it to higher rates of asthma
and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as
well as reduced lung function.
Long-term Tylenol use has also been linked to
kidney failure, and
about 15 percent of the people on dialysis today are
there as a result of the damage that Tylenol (and/or
aspirin) did to their kidneys.
What Makes Acetaminophen so Toxic?
Most experts believe Tylenol causes its damage by
depleting glutathione, an antioxidant that protects
cells from toxins such as free radicals.
So while I do not recommend using acetaminophen,
if you do take Tylenol or other types of
acetaminophen regularly you can limit some of the
damage by taking N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), which is
the rate-limiting nutrient for the formation of the
intracellular antioxidant glutathione.
If you keep your glutathione levels up, the
damage from the Tylenol may be largely preventable.
Even conventional medicine recognizes this, as
anyone who overdoses on Tylenol receives large doses
of NAC in the emergency room.
FDA Making
Mistake
While I deeply appreciate the aggressive actions
on acetaminophen, I am not convinced that removing
it from the most common form of prescription pain
killers is a wise move.
Obviously I am not a fan of using drugs but I am
also highly appreciative of the advances in modern
pharmacology that allow us to effectively suppress
pain while we are seeking to address the underlying
cause of the problem.
Frequently the cause of the pain problem is an
acute injury or trauma and the only solution is time
and rest.
To me it seems the far wiser move by the FDA would
be to mandate the use of NAC to be included with all
the prescription acetaminophen products, which would
virtually eliminate their toxicity.
Not sure how the FDA can be so blind to the
obvious, especially when they have already given NAC
an indication for the treatment of acetaminophen
overdose.
Why Are You REALLY Taking Acetaminophen?
If you suffer from one of the conditions commonly
treated with acetaminophen, such as headaches, joint
pain and
fevers, be aware that there are almost always
reasons behind your symptoms. Acetaminophen only
provides symptomatic relief and in no way, shape or
form treats the underlying cause of the pain.
Remember, your pain typically serves a very
useful purpose, signaling that something is not
right -- prompting you to resolve your problem at
its root level.
Unfortunately, most are brainwashed and resort to
a drug model to cover the problem up.
So instead of taking a taking an OTC painkiller,
seek to address what’s really causing your pain.
Natural Alternatives for Pain Relief
As you work to uncover the source of your pain,
whether it is due to injury, stress or other
illness, you don’t need to suffer unnecessarily. The
following options provide excellent pain relief
without any of the health hazards that typical pain
relievers, even OTC varieties, carry:
-
Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT), which is
currently being used by more than 15,000
psychologists, is a drug-free approach for pain
management of all kinds. MTT borrows from the
principles of acupuncture, in that it helps you
balance out your subtle energy system.
It helps resolve underlying, often
subconscious, negative emotions that may be
exacerbating your physical pain. By stimulating
(tapping) well-established acupuncture points
with your fingertips, you re-balance your energy
system, which tends to dissipate pain.
- Ginger: This herb is anti-inflammatory and
offers pain relief and stomach-settling
properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in
boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable
juice.
- Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or
"Indian frankincense," this herb contains
specific active anti-inflammatory ingredients.
This is one of my personal favorites as I have
seen it work well with many rheumatoid arthritis
patients.
- Krill Oil: The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA
contained in krill oil have been found, by many
animal and clinical studies, to have
anti-inflammatory properties.
- Bromelain: This enzyme found in pineapples,
is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken
in supplement form but eating fresh pineapple
may also be helpful.
- Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in
fish and dairy butter, acts as a "joint
lubricant" and an anti-inflammatory. I have used
this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a
mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops
up when I type too much on non-ergonomic
keyboards. I used a topical preparation for
this.
- Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage
Oils: These contain the essential fatty acid
gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is useful for
treating arthritic pain. I personally prefer the
use of GLA supplements from evening primrose oil
but borage oil contains a higher concentration
of GLA, which means you need fewer capsules, and
it tends to be less expensive.
- Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream,
this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It
alleviates pain by depleting the body's supply
of substance P, a chemical component of nerve
cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.
- Methods such as yoga, acupuncture, and even
holding hands can also result in astonishing
pain relief without any drugs.